Garrett cancels ANU talk, to meet officials

The Environment Minister Peter Garrett pulled the plug on a keynote speech at the ANU today, to hold 'a range of meetings with a range of officials'. The Prime Minister now concedes there are problems with the government's energy efficiency programs, and both ministers say further changes will be made, if that's what the government is advised to do.

Transcript

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MARK COLVIN: Peter Garrett is one of the least inconspicuous people in Australia -- but the Environment Minister was practically invisible today.

He spent the morning bunkered down in Canberra - when he was expected to deliver a speech at the ANU. Instead an environmental scientist from his department delivered the talk for him.

A spokesman for Mr Garrett says he spent the morning conducting "a range of meetings with a range of officials". The Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, meanwhile has admitted there are problems with the Government's energy efficiency programs.

From Canberra, Sabra Lane reports.

SABRA LANE: Judging by the look on Kevin Rudd's face, it seems the Prime Minister fulfilled a boyhood dream today.

KEVIN RUDD: These are serious Tonka toys that you're playing with here.

SABRA LANE: He got behind the controls of one of them; it was a huge excavator, at a $200 million road project in Victoria.

(Sound of truck)

SABRA LANE: Grinning from ear to ear, Mr Rudd also gave the thumbs up. His work was met with applause.

(Applause)

SABRA LANE: During another picture opportunity, the PM used a shovel to turn the first sod on the Federally funded project, and he jokingly threatened to repeat Jeff Kennett's infamous action of throwing dirt over the assembled media.

KEVIN RUDD: Now what we do now is we throw it over the media.

JOURNALISTS: No (laughter). Kennett did that.

SABRA LANE: It was some comic relief, after a week where Mr Rudd and the Government have fended off damaging claims about its insulation program, and the competency of its Environment Minister, Peter Garrett.

GREG HUNT: With 19 warnings, it must surely be time for the Minister to go and if he won't go, for the Prime Minister to step in and sack him.

SABRA LANE: The Opposition's Greg Hunt says it's time for an immediate Auditor-General's inquiry into the program and it's time for its suspension.

GREG HUNT: The Government must immediately consider suspending the program, but with protections for pre-existing installers.

SABRA LANE: Mr Garrett was due to speak on biodiversity at conference at the ANU this morning, but pulled out, giving organisers an hour's notice.

CONFERENCE MC: A day is a long time in politics and we heard at eight o'clock this morning that the Minister is not going to be able to give his keynote address. In his place, I'd like to introduce Charlie Zammit.

CHARLIE ZAMMIT: The Minister sends his sincere apologies for not being here this morning, he was very keen to do this opening address.

TONY ABBOTT: I understand that he's cancelled his engagements today. I hope it's not just that he's running from the media.

SABRA LANE: The Environment Minister emerged around noon to catch a plane to attend a community cabinet meeting in Victoria.

PETER GARRETT: I regret that I wasn't able to head into ANU for that speech but I thought it was critical for me to continue the discussions that I'm taking at the moment and the work that we're doing.

SABRA LANE: A spokesman for the Mr Garrett says he held "a range of meetings with a range of officials this morning". He wasn't even prepared to concede the discussions were about the insulation program.

PETER GARRETT: I'm going to continue to do my job. I think the critical thing here is to recognise that many of the processes that have been called warnings by the Opposition were in fact processes that I established and I responded to those processes in the course of rolling out this program.

SABRA LANE: If needed, Mr Garrett says, he'll make further changes to the scheme.

PETER GARRETT: If I think that there's a requirement to take additional steps under this program on the basis of the advice that I receive, then I'll take those steps.

SABRA LANE: And he says he'll also examine allegations about the Government's solar panel rebate program, following claims that many rooftop panels used for electricity generation pose a fire hazard, because they haven't been installed properly.

Mr Garrett points out that program started under John Howard.

PETER GARRETT: I understand that there has been no linkage of the installation of these solar panels with any house fires in Australia.

This is a program that's been in place for 10 years, it's in place under the Howard government and for Mr Hunt to be out there now accusing this program of not having the right level of standards, he's effectively accusing his own program.

SABRA LANE: And Mr Rudd's conceded the insulation program is problematic, but he's still standing by his Minister.

KEVIN RUDD: Peter has been very effective as Environment Minister over a long period of time. Let's just call a spade a spade, there are problems with the implementation of this program, we shouldn't run away from that, that's just a fact.

But the key thing is to make sure we get the safety right, we get the implementation right and we do it right for the future.

I believe this is a job where we've got to get on with the business of problem solving and get it absolutely sorted out for the future.

SABRA LANE: And part of that problem-solving will be an examination of allegations raised at yesterday's Senate inquiry, that some contractors regarded the rebate program as a "free for all", and that 40 per cent of imported batts failed to meet Australian standards.

KEVIN RUDD: I think it's quite clear from some of the information that's been provided to that inquiry that some operators have not met high safety standards established by the Government for the life of the scheme and we will continue to work our way through the information provided and we will seek appropriate departmental advice.

SABRA LANE: And some will wonder why that wasn't done, before the Government announced the program in the first place.